Placing, bending, and tying rebar can be an extremely labor intensive process. It can also be very repetitive, which makes it a candidate for robotic automation. A relatively new construction technology startup is hoping to break into the space after raising some substantial seed funding.
Founded in 2016 by Daniel Blank and Ian Cohen, Toggle is a” robotics and automation solution for rebar fabrication and assembly,” as self-described by their website. The company touts that their solution doubles labor productivity and increases steel cage production five-fold.
Toggle’s robot can not only fabricate and pre-bend rebar, it can also pre-tie the cage assembly together for cages no longer than 25 feet. The robot does not visit the construction site, however, so all fabrication and assembly takes place in a weather controlled environment and the components are shipped to the site.
The startup currently operates out of Brooklyn, NY and can deliver cages up to 300 miles away from their facility.
Just last week, Toggle announced that they had raised $3 million in seed funding to help them continue to grow in the space. A notable investor out of the group was Dallas Maverick’s owner and Shark Tank shark Mark Cuban.
“Toggle is leading the way toward new automated solutions for the fabrication and assembly of rebar using robotics in a US (Brooklyn, NY) based factory,” said Mark Cuban in a press release. We’re excited about bringing the next generation of factory jobs and pushing forward advanced robotic solutions. Toggle is a game changer for the construction industry.”
Check out the video from URBAN-X, a startup accelerator, for more information about Toggle:
